AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
WARREN FOOTE
VOL. 3
JAN. 1, 1894
TO
DEC. 31, 1901
Courtesy of the Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
DO NOT PUBLISH TO THE INTERNET
(typed from handwritten journals by Garth Homer Killpack and others 1984)
(scanning, formatting by his brother Lovell Killpack 2003)
(sons of Hazel Foote Killpack, daughter of Homer Clarence Foote, youngest son of Warren Foote)
CHAPTER 1 - 1894
P. 1 (January 1894) (age 76)
Jan. 1. I have been nearly down sick of a cold, which has been a general complaint. The weather has been clear and cold since last Wednesday. The Thermometer was 16 degrees above zero this morning. Last Saturday morning it was 10 above… the coldest morning yet.
Jan. 3. I got a letter from my son George. He writes that his wife is getting well, for which we thank the Lord, who has answered our prayers. To him be all the glory and honor forever.
Jan. 4. Snow is two inches deep this morning. I wrote to my son George.
Jan. 5. It is clear and the Thermometer is at zero this morning.
Jan. 6. Thermometer is at zero this morning.
Jan. 7. It is one degree below.
Jan. 8 & 9. The thermometer was 8 degrees above each morning, and the 10th 7 above.
Jan. 13. I got a letter from my son George dated Jan. 8th 1894. He writes:
“Dear Parents:
I received your welcome letter the 6th inst. and was very glad to hear from you, and that you were all as well as you are. We are suffering from colds here, but are able to be about, Leanah has been getting along splendidly until yesterday she was not so well, but seems better this morning. I have been giving her Woods Sarsaparilla, and Miles Restorative Nervine. Well I hope and pray that she will get well, and that soon, for it is wearing me out - not only myself but you at home as well. I will not undertake to describe my feelings for I would make a failure of it.....
The people in this place appear to be very poor, and I think there are more poor people here than in our Valley. Well I will not write any more this time. My love to all, and may the Lord bless you with health and strength is my constant prayer.
Your Son Geo. A. Foote”
Jan. 17. I received the following letters from my brother George L. Foote and his wife, which are the last they ever wrote to me.
“YpsilantiJan. 8th 1894
Dear brother Warren:
I presume you will be glad if not surprised to get a letter from me after so long a time. I have no other excuse but mere neglect of duty, and I am ashamed of it.
This New Year finds me very well excepting the rheumatism in my arms. Mary A. is not very well.
I had a letter from brother David last week, which said he had been having the La Grippe which made him deaf, but was getting better of it.
We were up to Mary Muma’s last week, they were well. I was glad to hear by the way of David that your health is better than
P. 2 (January 1894) (age 76)
usual. I am glad that you write to me if I do not to you, and thank you for the description you gave of your long journey, and for the paper that gave the description of the building of the MormonTemple.
I suppose you are having hard times as well as we are, It seems to be all over the world. I think it is largely the saloons that causes it.
We are having a mild winter, though we had excellent sleighing for about three weeks in December.
I notice there is a prospect of Utah becoming a state.
I shall be glad to hear from you often, and I think I will answer each one.
Our love to you and family. Your brother Geo. L. Foote”
“Dear Brother Warren:
I am quite ashamed of George as well as myself, that our corespondence is so often interupted and by us. I am glad however that you do not forget us, but are so good and prompt with your letters, for we enjoy them so much.
There is little prospect of our meeting in this life--but Oh! the life beyond is so full of hope, immortality and eternal life. Who knows but we shall shake glad hands on the other shore? God grant it. Your Sister”
“My Dear Uncle:
Father kindly offers me space to write you a few lines in his letter to you. Though I never received a letter from you, I have always been interested in your letters to father.
I often see Uncle David and his children at Flint.
I should like very much to see and know you, and your family, though I am afraid I never shall. Kindly remember me to your whole family.
Ever Your Nephew Geo. E. Foote”
These last few lines are from my brother Georges son.
Jan. 18. I received a letter from my soninlaw H.A. Bouton. They have had the La Grippe, but were well again. He writes very kindly.
Feb. 3. My son Homer C. is 23 today. It is clear and cold. Thermometer 4 above.
Feb. 4. Cold wind. I answered H.A. Bouton’s letter and also wrote to my brothers David and George.
Joseph Burch lectured here last night to the young folks, which I learn was quite interesting.
Feb. 5. I received a letter from my son George. His wife is much better and wants to come home and take care of her children.
Feb. 6. I do not feel well today. Wrote to my son George.
P. 3 (February 1894) (age 76)
Feb. 10. My son George returned home this forenoon with his wife. They were glad to meet with their dear little ones again. It was a great pleasure to us to see Leanah in her right mind again. To our Heavenly Father be all the honor and praise. He has been very merciful and has heard the many prayers in her behalf. May His blessings abide with her.
It commenced snowing in the night, (last night) and continued the most of the time through today. At night it was 8 inches deep.
Feb. 11. The wind blowed hard from the north all last night and drifted the snow.
Feb. 16. Four inches of snow fell today.
Feb. 17. Cleared off last night, and this morning the thermometer is one degree below zero. I received a letter from H.A. Bouton with regard to some business. They were all, and it is a general time of health in the city.
Feb. 25. Sunday. I went to meeting and was called to the stand. I said the general topic among the people is “Hard Times”. The trouble is, when money was flush, many went in debt for things that they could have got along without, --things that were unnecessary. But I suppose they thought the time had come, as had been prophecied, that the Lord would pour out blessings and the saints should be the richest of all people, and now they could gratify the pride of their hearts, and the lusts of their eyes. I suppose they argued with themselves like this. “There is neighbor A, he has a fine carriage, and an organ, fine states-made furniture &c. - now I am as able to have such nice things as he is, for my wool will bring in the cash, far above the cost of producing it, so I am not going to be out done by neighbors A and B.” They had forgotten the word of the Lord through his servant Joseph, saying, “Beware of pride lest ye become like the Nephites of old.” Now the Lord in His mercy has humbled the people by cutting off the stream of gold and silver, and many are at their wits end to know what to do to meet their obligations. They feel about as poor as the poorest.
Now the only way to make times better, is to live within our income, produce all we possibly can for our consumption, buy nothing but what you can pay for right down, and then you will feel free and not be in bondage to any person. Blessed are those who have so lived in the past - What is called “hard time” now does not effect them much.
P. 4 (February 1894) (age 76)
Feb. 27. I received letters from my brother David and one from Guy C. Foote, my brother George’s grandson; which brought me the sad news of the death of my brother George, which I will copy.
“YpsilantiMichiganFeb 17th 1894
My Dear Uncle Warren:
Little did I think when some three years ago I wrote to you, that my next letter would be the bearer of such sad news as this one is.
Grandpa died last Thursday morning at 30 minutes past one o’clock, (the 15th inst.) of congestion of the lungs and head.
I was alone with him at the time, the rest having retired shortly before. He passed away like one going to sleep, and without pain. Your letter under date of the 4th inst. was received and read to him. He expressed great satisfaction that you were as well as you are, and also that your family were so too.
Grandma is in a very dangerous condition, and we have little hope of her long surviving him. She seems indiferent as to whether she recovers or not. I will write you at greater length in the near future, soon as I have more time.
Uncles Frank, and Geo. E. are here, as is my father. We look for Uncle David tonight. With kind regards to you all from us all, I remain your affectionate Nephew Guy Chas Foote”
“P.S. Funeral Sunday at 2 p.m. will send Ypsilanti papers.”
The following letter is from brother David.
“Ann ArborMichFeb 19th 1894
Dear Brother Warren:
I received your very welcome letter dated Feb 4th on the 12 inst. and on the 15th as I was about to write to you, I received a Telegram from Ypsilanti, saying, George died that morning, and the funeral would be on Sunday. It was sad and unexpected news to me as I supposed him to be be in good health from a letter I had from him dated Jan. 11th, but he was taken down with congestion of the lungs and died very suddenly.
I was at the funeral yesterday, and came to this place this morning. When I left there Mary Ann, his widow was very low, and think she will follow George very soon, which will be a great blessing to her as she has been quite helpless for a long time, and it would be difficult for any person to take the place of George in taking care of her, and she thinks her work is done here and is anxious to go. I will stay here a few days to see how Mary Ann gets along, and then
P. 5 (February 1894) (age 76)
will go back to Flint, and write more when I get home.
My health is quite good at present, nearly or quite as good as it was before my last sickness. But I realize that time with me is drawing to a close, and I hope to meet with loved ones on the other shore, where sickness and sorrow, pain and death are felt and feared no more.
From your loving brother David Foote”
With brother David’s letter came the following from his daughter.
“My Dear Uncle Warren:
Father has just been writing to you and wished me to add a word or two. It is a long time since I have written to you. It is not because I do not want to, for I love to get letters from you, and prize those that I already have very much.
Father has written about Uncle George and Auntie. It was very sudden though Uncle has been feeble for a long time, ever since he had the Grippe a year ago, and Auntie has been ailing a great deal-lately. We expect any hour now to hear of her death. They think she has had another stroke of Apoplexy, and also has pneumonia. You know she had apoplexy ten years ago, and ever since that time has been a great care to Uncle, and I don’t know what she would to without him if she should get well.
Father seems quite well for a man of his age, though he was quite sick a short time ago, and we feared that he would not recover.
My family are all as well as usual at present. My daughter May is principal of the high school at St. John’s, in this State, and seems to be very successful in her work. She likes it very much and it seems to be giving good satisfaction. She graduated from this University last year. She had never had any experience at teaching, but she stood so high in her studies here that they were willing to take her without any experience. She has studied a half year towards her masters degree, and expects to come back sometime and finish it.
She is a thorough Christian and has a faculty of exerting a good influence over her pupils, especially the young men, and I hope she is going to, with the Lord’s help, do a great deal of good in the school.
My oldest son is here to finish his course in College. He is taking Electrical Engineering. My younger boy is in the high school. He thinks he does not care to go to College, but is anxious to get to work for himself. Maud and Anna are at home with me.
P. 6 (February 1894) (age 76)
My husband is still in the Insurance business, but it is very dull and has been for the past year. You see my children are not any of them married. My girls do not seem to care much for the boys, but I hope some day they will find someone worthy of them, for I believe in marriage. I wish you would write to me, and I will try to do better in the future.
Your affectionate niece Mary E. Muma”
The news of Brother George’s death was very unexpected to me. To think that he, who has always been so robust and healthy should fall a victim to disease and death, while I should be spared, (who have always been subject to sickness more or less,) looks somewhat strange, when I look at it naturally. But I know that my life has been preserved by the mercy and power of my Heavenly Father, for I have been on the brink of the grave, as it were many times, since I tabernacled in the flesh.
I am satisfied that I was chosen to come on earth to do a certain work for my ancesters and relatives, who have died without the knowledge of the gospel. Therefore satan has many times tried to destroy my life and to prevent me from accomplishing the work. But Glory be to the Lord my God, whose hand has been over me for good, and has enabled me to do much work in his holy Temples for the redemption of my progenitors, and their posterity. And if the Lord will continue to spare my life, I will see that the ordinances for the dead are performed in a House of the Lord, for my dear brother George and his wife, that they may have part in the first resurrection, and occupy, or take his place, in my father’s family in the Great Millenium with all his brothers and sisters, our father standing at the head.
March 1. I went to Kanab with bro. James W. Watson to attend our quarterly Conference. It is a very pleasant day. We arrived at Kanab at 4 p.m. I stopped with brother Cram and his wife.
March 2. I went to the High Council meeting, but as I could not hear much that was said I did not stay long. I then went to the Post Office and got a money order of $3.50 to send to A.J. Root to pay for the gleaning in Bee Culture which I have been taking for several years. It was a very windy day, - blowing from the southwest.
P. 7 (March 1894) (age 76)
March 3. Conference commenced at 10 a.m. presided over by Pres. E. D. Woolley. We had none but local speakers. No Apostles present.
Cold and wind today and snowed in the afternoon. I took dinner with bro. Samuel Haycock, and supper with brother E. Pugh, and staid overnight with bro. Cram.
March 4. The snow is four inches deep this morning. Conference continued today. It was cold and squally all day and the house cold and uncomfortable. I did not enjoy the Conference much it was so disagreeable. The house was quite open, - not being finished inside.
March 5. We started for home at 9 a.m. we had to face a cold wind crossing the sandridge towards LongValley, but was quite pleasant after we got into the Valley. We arrived at home at 5 p.m.
March 6. I wrote letters to A.J. Root, H.A. BoutonAugusta Tanner.
March 11. I went to meeting and assisted in administering the Sacrament.
March 12. I sent all the Family Records of the Footes that I have collected to this date, to Miss Lucy A. Brainard, Hartford, Conn.
March 17. It lightened and thundered last night and rained some and this morning there is 4 inches of snow, but it disappeared before night. I received a letter today from Guy C. Foote, giving a full account of his Grandfathers death, and also his Grandmother’s who died on Monday the 19th about 3 o’clock afternoon, four days after her husband’s death. The following is a copy of the letter.
“DetroitMich. 232 W. Fort StMarch 5th 1894.
My Dear Uncle Warren:
When I wrote you concerning Granpa’s death, I expected to be able to write more fully ere this, but Grandma’s death following so soon after has kept me more than busy.